ThunderThighs

I have this set and I must say, I really like them. It's my first set of ceramic knives and I didn't know what to expect. That paring knife is quite sharp. It's nice to actually slice rather than squish them like I was doing with my old, old, old knives.

foolnamedjon

I cook professionally and I want to mention how enjoyable it is to use a sharp knife instead of a dull one. Ceramic blades are very hard and don't dull very fast if you care for them, and they don't need maintenance on a honing rod. They will dull eventually, but they should last a home cook a year or so at the least before they could use a sharpening. These are a bit on the smaller side for home-use kitchen knives - a standard french knife is 8" and the chef knife here is 6", but they should work just fine.

sdc100

I have this set and they've lived up to my expectations, which were high. I've used bargain ceramic knives before and they were good but not awesome. These are awesome. While it took a while to get used to the lightness, they are now my favorite knives. The eerie sharpness also took some getting used to, but now that I'm spoiled by the effortlessness, slicing with metal knives seem somewhat strange. My favorite task is slicing tomatoes. The ability to make very thin slices has changed the way I make sandwiches (although I do sometime prefer a thick meaty slice).

I also like that fact ceramic doesn't react with foods, i.e. it won't oxidize vegetables. That means lettuce won't turn brown, and apples will brown more slowly. The ceramic blade and plastic handle also means that these knives are VERY easy to clean. My biggest worry is cutting myself while handcleaning the blade.

Yes, you can get ceramic knives from many companies, including generic no-name Chinese ones. Many of them may be as good as these Kyoceras. But if you want to get the best in ceramic knives, and absolute quality control, go Kyocera. They are leaders in industrial hi-tech ceramic research. Even these bargain knives are better than the best models from some lesser companies.

yayobama

What's with all the blood-colored knife sets seen on Woot in recent months? The only other (non-black, non-metalic) color I recall seeing is blood orange, perhaps for more liver-ill bleeders. 'Never any blue, green, purple... colors. Or is it to be a romantic Valentines gift? That would be creepy. Ok now I want one.

killerwhale84

I personally own a set of Kyocera knives and I love them so much that I'm getting it again on woot because of the great price. I mainly use my Kyocera knives on veggies and fruits, and they work so wonderfully that I bought another set for my sister at a much higher price. So this is definitely a good deal!

breaddrink

Surely these things have to be as brittle or more so than the shun line?

I know knives, and really you find out eventually that the most versatile blades are the slightly softer metals (but not so soft that they dull too quickly) because you can maintain them.
It's a fine line, that's for sure.

That said, I've no experience with ceramic whatsoever, and I like new ideas...Just wondering how actually useful they could be or do they need to be handled with kid gloves?
For home use, and considering it's ceramic, are these okay for the dishwasher?

ThunderThighs

breaddrink wrote:Surely these things have to be as brittle or more so than the shun line?

I know knives, and really you find out eventually that the most versatile blades are the slightly softer metals (but not so soft that they dull too quickly) because you can maintain them.
It's a fine line, that's for sure.

That said, I've no experience with ceramic whatsoever, and I like new ideas...Just wondering how actually useful they could be or do they need to be handled with kid gloves?
For home use, and considering it's ceramic, are these okay for the dishwasher?

sdc100

jhoff909 wrote:Can ceramic knives be sharpened same as metal ones or do the need to be sent out to someone?

To sharpen a blade, you need to be able to scrape off parts of it to create an edge. To do so, you'd need a scraping surface that is harder than the blade itself. For metal blades, a ceramic wheel is often used because industrial ceramics are usually harder than metal. Ceramic knives, however, are made of ceramic themselves. Furthermore, the type of ceramic was chosen because it is especially hard. Needlessly to say, rubbing a ceramic wheel meant for metal against these ceramic blades won't work. You'd need a harder substance, diamond. Diamonds that are too imperfect for jewelry are grounded into dust and embedded into a sharpening wheel.

Another thing to consider is that true Japanese knives are honed at a different angle than Western knives. This is the case with metal knives but I don't know if it holds true for ceramic knives. Regardless, never sharpen a Japanese knife in a sharpener meant for Western knives because the wrong angle will ruin the blade.

The answer to your question is no, you cannot sharpen these ceramic knives with an ordinary sharpener. Nor would you use a knife steel on them. The best way to sharpen Kyocera knives is to use their Free Lifetime sharpening service. Everyone uses their knives differently but friends tell me that their ceramic knives are still sharp after 5 years with no sharpening.

sdc100

If you're on the fence, go for it. Seriously. At the very least, you'll get to say that you own a Kyocera ceramic knife. What Shun is to metal knives, Kyocera is to ceramic knives. Plus, they stand by their products. Although this is their budget model, they guarantee it with a Lifetime Warranty and Lifetime Complimentary Sharpening just as they would with their expensive models. Yep, if your knife ever chips or breaks, they will repair it or replace. See the box cover below. It's from these exact knives except in black.

Kyocera also claims that their proprietary Zirconia 206 ceramic is stronger and denser than the ceramic used by other companies, meaning an even more durable edge. Here is the box from this set touting their harder ceramic and Free sharpenidng service.

RaisinROM

breaddrink wrote:Surely these things have to be as brittle or more so than the shun line?

I know knives, and really you find out eventually that the most versatile blades are the slightly softer metals (but not so soft that they dull too quickly) because you can maintain them.
It's a fine line, that's for sure.

That said, I've no experience with ceramic whatsoever, and I like new ideas...Just wondering how actually useful they could be or do they need to be handled with kid gloves?
For home use, and considering it's ceramic, are these okay for the dishwasher?

I'm a pro, have had all kinds of knives, these ARE great. They LOOK like they would be very brittle, I was expecting them to start "crumbling" on the thin edges, but they haven't. I also put them in the dishwasher (JUST a moment me) and have not had a single problem.

Jnieberd

These knives are as sharp as any factory made steel knife, but they are not as sharp as a hand-honed edge. Like so many have pointed out, they keep their edge better than steel, but my kyocera dulled faster than I'd have hoped, and for $10 (which is really more like 15 because you pay to ship the knife TO them.) the factory sharpening service turn around is disappointingly slow. It took over two weeks to get my chef's knife back because they send it 1st class- you'll see the $3.00 postage stamp right there on the envelope. Don't be fooled: you're paying for the "free" sharpening service.

I'm not crazy about the chef knife.
The first thing you'll notice is how ridiculously lightweight and skinny this knife is. If you've already got decent knife skills, you will have to spend some time getting used to the difference. You can fly through something soft like a tomato or celery, but trying to dice a large onion or julienne a jicama can be a little frustrating- the knife, though very sharp, just doesn't have the heft to get all the way through.

Also, because it's famously brittle ceramic, you shouldn't use the chef knife like a chef- you shouldn't crush garlic, bruise lemongrass or do anything very physical, Forget quartering a chicken or deboning a pork shoulder.

The paring knife, on the other hand is great, and for all the reasons I dislike the chef knife. It's so sharp, so thin and so light that you can take apart a shallot or finely emince' garlic almost effortlessly and with lightning speed.

At this price you'd be crazy not to consider it, but I think skilled home chefs and pros will benefit most from the paring knife alone.

The Force is like Duct Tape: It has a Light Side and a Dark Side and it binds the galaxy together.

hscottk

I currently own one of the top of the line Kyocera knives. What do I lose by going with a budget model? I'm assuming the handle won't be as nice, but will the blade be more brittle or dull more quickly?

heesme

I can't speak for this brand, but I bought my wife some from Sam's Club for Christmas. She loves the ceramic style and has been using them in place of her other three or four sets pretty regularly. If you're just a casual user, Sam's was a better deal. Here's what I got: http://tinyurl.com/clxpghw (keep in mind, I am nothing of an expert when it comes to knives or really anything in the kitchen)

jinschoi

As many others have mentioned, Kyocera does have a sharpening service. It DOES cost money ($10+shipping), and it takes some time. There was also mention of the Kyocera electric sharpener above. I have that, and it works. Maybe doesn't put quite the factory edge on it, but does improve it.

Anyone who sharpens their own steel knives can also sharpen ceramic knives, they just need the right abrasives. I use the Edge Pro, and you can get diamond abrasives in Fine, SuperFine, and 3000 grit tape which will put a polished edge on your Kyocera. There are also diamond abrasives available as plates.

wizeguy6

I could sing the praises of these knives for their wonderful edge, but there's enough of that going on. All that aside, this particular paring knife has incredibly comfortable ergonomics. It's become the go-to knife in our kitchen!

Woot.com is operated by Woot Services LLC.
Products on Woot.com are sold by Woot, Inc., other than items on Wine.Woot which are sold by the seller specified on the product detail page.
Product narratives are for entertainment purposes and frequently employ
literary point of view;
the narratives do not express Woot's editorial opinion.
Aside from literary abuse, your use of this site also subjects you to Woot's
terms of use
and
privacy policy.
Woot may designate a user comment as a Quality Post, but that doesn't mean we agree with or guarantee anything said or linked to in that post.